Automatic slack-adjuster.



wi D. NULS. f AUTOMAHG SMGK ADJUSTER.

APPLICATION lFILED Jun" H. wia.

` Pateqted Jan.14,1919.

22 SHEETS-SHEET' x.

W. D. NEILSI AUTOMATIC SLACK DJUSTER. APPLICATION FILED JuLI 11,4918.

Patented Jam M919.

2 SHEETS-augen;

'1 -v in automatic slack` adjusters for railway 1t` will operate with sureness and -eiiieiency to 2ofvantages thereof and theparticularl con-1f' .25' with the accompanying drawings forming f beingshown in section. 4

Si l i0 Inthe drawings,-

V; tising of the invention in other` forms-as "tscrewconnection andmovable with the push Erice., wrnnmiu n. units, or nnvnnrom, 4iown` i AumoMArIo strlen-finaUsuutin.

`Specification of `Letters ltelit"l i P311;`

' Toall whom t may concern." i pawl and ratchet. An important charac- Be it known that L WILLIAM vD. Nnns, A

a citizen of the United States of America,`

residing at Davenport, in the county i of 5 Scott and State of Iowa, have invented eertain new and useful Improvements in Auto-V matic Slack-Adjusters, of which the following is aspecifioation. V

This invention `relates tol improvementsthe specialconstruction 'ofV aetuating earn practical` structure is produce' insuring being such as to prevent gagenient ofthe pawl an `tain at gall `times the inten ingrelation between these pa b'rakes, and has foritsobject to provide an improved device of-` this naturenof simple construction that will not'be liable to become disarranged but willv be "durable in p use. and

drawings, `wherein like referencefcharacters designate compensate for or take up the slack due to` wearin the, brake-shoes, stretching of the brake rigging, or other causes;

p The invent1on,` ',with,other objects adcylinder,f,2 thel the brakerigging, these parts being1 of well known 'construction and onlyindi'cated in a general way, the brakecylinderl being p'rocolnbination and 'arrangement -of struction, parts comprising the same will be f under- .returningt epartstonormal stood from the hereinafter contained detail an operation ofthe brakes;

description when eonsidered in connection `hepush-rod, which 7isshown interposed i. between'the piston "rodQ p art hereof andA sistslo'f two `sectionsanadjustment of the invention.` In the drawings:

Figure 1l illustrating `one-` einboditubular `@15intherofm gf a 1s a side elevationof slack adsecured at one end tqthepiston rodQyand aojusting mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention." 4 :Figui 2 'is a top plan view lof the slack'adjusting' mechanismythe supporting brackets with" the'` opening o`r` `nut part l6 vof a ratehet wheel Eigl Sis a transverse section 'on line 7, thelatter beingsupported, Fig.' 1 lookinginthedirection lof the arrow. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionV onthe line` 4v-4, Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrow.

spaced relationI by 1 andspacingsleeves housingbeing igidly secured together ini` "screws 'and'` nuts 10- `152, thefplate 8" ofthe I have illustrated 'by way of example a specific embodiment ofthe in-` vention, but it will of course be understood that minorchang'es Vand variations in the particular construotion shown, and the prac- `'tion 4; of `the push rod;` Supported; inthe frameor housing, abovethe ratchetwheel 7 for coperation therewith is a p uwl 13, said; pawlbeing providedl at' one end witha tubu- `lar bearing o or `sleeve, 13 .projecting from ".oppo'sitesides thereof and loosely engaging will appeal to those skilled 'the' art and falli g within the scope of the 'appended 'claims may befollowed without departing from the principles of the invention. The invention eomprehends thefuse oi anf extensible push rod between the brake cylinder and piston and in the Housing and bearing 13 0f the] t thus supported to ,slide *longitudinaily on rigging composed of Sec-. tions having an adjustable screw eorliiection,` a -pawl-and ratchet wheelifr adjustlng the rained a stationary cam foreetiiating the. the seran,

and pawl, theirspeeial connection together,` Vand thespelal support and guide provided forthe pawll and' ratchet whereby afsiinple smooth and easy operation,"`the structurei bd, n

imReferringf` to a detail deseription of'` the-iii 'T0` corresponding parts\ throughout the j several views, 1 `desngnatoes the brakew` piston rodand` 3 apartof and the part Scon-` able screw Ak'zonneotion, "the section '4 being 4 sleeve `suitably the section 5 'being conneeted atone end.`

part 3 ,of 'the riggingand telescop-` ng within thetubularsection`, 4. The sec'-, tion 5 i'stheaded andengages a'jthreaded intricately dispuse@ nagenieten in the 5 fationary-rodf outward 1in` the rodnnd having' pivotal movement about "teristic of fthe'presert invention ,resides` inv vided withthe usual spring-(not shoivvn')y `for i position after in afl-ame or housing;r consisting offa pair` of plates 8r`9V secured to 'the vouterendof thetubu ar se'cpartiti the-push f v rod, seidrod extendingjithroughtheslots 121 through fthe tubular pawl J3'. .the pawl being I 16 designates a 'supporting rod the frame or housing, the housing having a sliding engagement with the rod, which extends parallel with the push rod and'A through bearings 17 on the housing. The rods and 17 may be supported in any desired manner. In the present instance, the

v, rods -are held in' .brackets or hangers 18.

which are secured tothe 4under framing 20 of-thecar.' y As Will be understood the frame or housing and pawl and ratchet'aremovable with Y' the' pushrod, and upon moyement ofthe push rod Athe pawl 13 sliding along the rod 15 Will be shifted bodily laterally in a direction at right angles to the line of movement ofthe rod. The inclination of the rod` 15- is. such that in Vthe' normal stroke ofthe piston of the brake cylinder, the pawl 13 will not be given sufficient movement laterally to actuate the ratchet whcel,but when slack 0ccurs intlie',systei nv and the ystroke of the brake piston is lengthened the pavvl 13 on the Aforward stroke of the piston in the' ap`v plication ofthe brakes will be shifted laterally a suiiicient distance so that upon the rethe-npawl will turn the ratchet Wheel to.

turn movement of the brake piston and pawl,

lengthen the push rod in accordance with the amount of slack to be 'taken up, the size `o'fli'the teethof the' ratchet wheel,fthe pitch 'ofithe threads on the push bar section 5, and

` the inclination of the'cam rod 15 being properly proportioned relatively to' each other to ctl'ect this result.v

It`will be'noted that by the particular construction and arrangement of parts hereinbcfore described, a very simple practical structure is alici-ded. Thespecial construc- 40 tion andengagemeut of the pawland* cain device with each other is such as to prevent accidentaldisengagement of these parts, and insuring the proper operation to eiect the desire@ results. e

l, Inv an automatic -slaclr adjuster,- the `combination of an extensible push rod com- A `prising sections having a screw-y connection, K pawl and ratchet 'mechanismfor adjusting the screw 'connection and the of the pushrod, said mechanism includinga ratchety wheel and pawl vmovable with the.

. push rod, and'a stationary guide extending alongside the push rod at an inclinationthereto, the paWl mounted upon the guide toY slide longitudinally.A thereon and being movable bodily by `said guide at right angles Y to the pushi'od to actuate1the ratchetwheel.

2. In an automatici,y slack adjuster, thecombination of an extensible push 'rod corn prising sections having a screw connection,

and pawl and ratchet mechanism for adjust- -ingthe screw connection and the length of the push rod, said mechanismA including a ratchet vvheelA andpawlY movable with the push rod, and a stationary guide rod extending alongside the push rod'f at an inclination thereto, Asaid pawl -be ing mounted upon the guide rod to slide longitudinally thereon and for pivotal movement, the pawl in its movement longitudinally of thev rod being shifted laterally'l at right angles to the push rod to actuate the ratchet wheel.

3. In an automatic slack adjuster', the

prising sections having a screw connection,

and pawl and ratchet mechanism for adjusting the screvv connection and'the length of the push rod, said mechanism including a housing secured to one section of the push .rod and' provided with an elongated slot, a

ratchet wheel rotatably supported in the housing, a guidefor the housing to support .the same against movement vlaterally during its movement with the push rod, a station- 75 `.combination of an extensible push rod coui-I ary guide rod extending alongside of the'y, f push rodA at an inclination thereto andf,.. through the slot in the housing,` and apavvl rotatably supported on the guide rod within the housing and adapted to Slide longitudinally on' the guide rod, said pavvl bein shifted laterally at right angles to the pus rod in its movement along the guide rod to actuate the ratchet Wheel. 1

, 4. In. an automatic slack adjuster, the. combination of an extensible push rod comprisingi` sections having a screw connection, and pawl .and ratchet mechanism for adjusting the screw connection and the length of the push road, said mechanism including a frame secured to one section of `the push rod andprovided with an elongated opening, a. ratchet Wheel supported in the frame, a stationary-guide. rod for thehousing to maintain the same against movement laterally,

said guide rod extending parallel with the.

push rod and through a bearing on said frame, a stationary guide rod extending.

alongside of the push rod at anginclination thereto and throughy the opening in the frame, and a pawl rotatably supported on' push rod, said mechanism including 'a hous- .iug'secured to one'section ofthe push rod and comprising a pair of plates secured togather in spaced relation, said plates having alined slots, a ratchet wheel arranged between th e plates of the housing, a guide for the housing against lateral movement, a stational-y guide rod extending alongside of the meinen i i push rod et an inclination thereto 'and `through the slots in the housing plates, and

a paw] rotatably supported on said guide rod between the plates of the'housing and adapted to slide longitudinally on the guide '1nd,'

n `6. In' an automatic sleek adjuster, the

combintion of an eXtensible push roel comprislng sections having e, screw connection,

and paWl and ratchet mechanism 'oi' ed? justingtherserew connection und the length of the push rod, seid mechanism inoludmg e ratchet wheel and a pewl movable ivith the push rod, and a stationery guide extending alongside the push rod at an inclination thereto, the paw] mounted upon the guide to slide longitudinally thereon andfor piv etal movement, and said pawl being movable bodily by said'guicle et right anglesto the push rod to actuante the ratchet wheel.

ln testimony whereof l ax' my signature in. the presence of two witnesses. i Y

' WILLIAM D. NEILS.` Witnwses:

E. L. Bringing G'. E. Len'. 

